Anyone who has ever peeled a ripe tomato – with his hands, with a sharp knife, after a quick boiling – knows what you are talking about. That light filament, sometimes almost transparent, which runs along the upper part of the peel. It is not part of the peel, not even the pulp, but it is always present: it is the internal peduncleor the terminal part of the structure that connected the tomato to the plant.
The invisible link with the mother plant
The peduncle is, technically, the “sprig” that keeps the fruit united with the plant. What makes him grow, feed and therefore live. It is the last part of the vegetable lymphatic system that transports nutrients – water, minerals and sugars – up to the fruit.
When the tomato is collected, the external peduncle breaks, but the internal one – thinner and more hidden – remains there. And this is exactly what, once the peel is peeled, appears as a clear, resistant and almost nervous thread.
Fibrous, elastic and natural
Many people confuse him with a part of the peel itself, others think is a residue of the petiole, or a vein of the pulp. In reality, it is a real connection structure. Its function is clear: keep the tomato stable while it ripens, and ensure the continuous passage of nutrients from the fruit to the fruit.
From a botanical point of view, the internal peduncle is composed of vascular tissues, the same that form the lymphatic network of plants. At the touch it is harder than the pulp, often fibrous, resistant to cooking and sometimes annoying for those looking for a perfectly smooth sauce.
Is it edible?
The question arises spontaneously, and the answer is simple: yes. . It is still part of the fruit.
What can annoy, in the internal peduncle, is its consistency. In a well sifted pass, it is an unwanted presence. In a rustic sauce, however, it can go unnoticed and even add a touch of consistency. In the kitchen, therefore, His presence certainly does not represent a problemA, it depends only on the result you want to obtain.
A legacy of ancient tomatoes
Curiously, in the oldest varieties – the so -called “once” tomatoes – this filament was often more evident, longer and more resistant. Some local cultivars, such as ox heart tomato or Florentine ribs, have robust internal peduncles, clearly visible even raw.
With modern selection, many sauce varieties have been developed to have less fiber, more pulp and a thinner peel, even if the internal peduncle is still present. Maybe more discreet, but always present.
A sign of freshness?
There are those who claim that The visibility of the internal peduncle can indicate freshnessand in part it is true. In just caught tomatoes, the fabric is still hydrated, tense, adhering to the peel, while after a few days, however, it tends to dry out and become less visible.
The fact is that, given that the variety, the maturation, the cultivation method and the conservation time affect differently on each fruit.
Why do you notice only when you peel tomato?
The peel hides it. When you peel a tomato – especially after a brief scoring in boiling water – the skin withdraws, rises, and lets the internal part that was previously invisible. It is at that moment that the peduncle appears, like a light rib that runs along the upper part of the fruit.
Did you know?
